Snoring is one of the most common forms of sleep disordered breathing. Snoring occurs if the flow of air through the mouth and nose becomes obstructed during sleep, resulting in audible vibration of the soft palate and other structures in the mouth and throat. The prevalence of snoring varies widely among different populations, with estimates ranging from 5 to 86% in the adult males and about 2 to 59% in adult females. Chronic snoring is reported to affect about 40% of adult men and 20% of adult women. Risk factors for snoring include increasing age, obesity, weight gain, body posture, retrognathia, nasal blockage, asthma, alcohol consumption, smoking, and the use of muscle relaxants.
Snoring can have serious health and social consequences. Many people who snore complain of tiredness on waking, excessive sleepiness during the day, poor work performance, and difficulty with concentration. Habitual loud snoring may also significantly impair the sleep quality of the bed partner and/or other members of the snorer's household. Methods of treatment can include lifestyle modifications, nasal decongestants, and devices such as tongue-retaining devices, mandibular advancement appliances and application of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) via a nasal mask. Although the CPAP device is very effective in eliminating snoring in chronic sleep apnea, the nasal mask can be difficult to tolerate and non-apneic snorers tend to be reluctant to commit to long-term use. Surgical remedies are generally reserved only for patients with obvious anatomic abnormalities such as nasal or pharyngeal obstruction. Surgery does not generally provide complete resolution of snoring, although it does improve breathing and allow patients to better tolerate other therapies such as nasal CPAP. There is a continuing need for effective, non-invasive therapies to reduce or eliminate snoring.